JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION

juneteenthmilwaukee.com. 

The annual Juneteenth Day Celebration is a nationwide event commemorating the day when the last enslaved people of African descent in the South received word of their freedom from Union General Gordon Granger on June 19, 1865 in Galveston, Texas, nearly two and a half years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation.

I Am Juneteenth! Milwaukee’s World-Renowned Juneteenth Day Celebration

Juneteenth Day, which commemorates the end of slavery, is celebrated in cities across the United States, but Milwaukee’s celebration is one of the largest and oldest in the country. Since 1971, Juneteenth in Milwaukee has grown larger each year and the community doesn’t hold anything back. In fact, according to the City of Milwaukee’s records, it is the oldest known and longest-running annual Juneteenth celebration in the United States. What started as a small gathering of vendors, now spans over several blocks of fun with over 170,000 participants. Celebrate with food, speakers, live music, and, of course, one of the largest Juneteenth parades in the country.

While it is a day that recognizes the past, it is also a day that can help look toward a progressive future. Juneteenth celebrations in Milwaukee help give a platform for the voices of advocates that might not be frequently heard.

No matter who you are or where you come from, this important celebration is one that you will not want to miss.